The Wedding
by runningwyld
Summary: You are cordially invited to the wedding of Steven J. McGarrett and Daniel Williams… Part of my "It's About Damn Time universe (see my profile page for all the stories in this series), but it can stand alone as an established McDanno wedding story.


**Disclaimer: I own no rights to _Hawaii Five-0_ or any of its characters. This is a work of fan fiction and no infringement is intended. _The Hawaiian Wedding Song_ \- Written by: Al Hoffman, Dick Manning, Charles E. King; © Universal Music Publishing Group, Music Sales Corp.**

AN: Eighteen stories into this series and I've finally written a McDanno wedding. I've been working on it for awhile, but it wasn't as easy as you'd think it would be to write the actually ceremony. Danny and Steve have been through a lot together and I thought they deserved a special wedding day. I hope I gave them (and you the readers) just that. Your invitation has been sent, I hope you RSVP.

* * *

You are cordially invited to the wedding of Steven J. McGarrett and Daniel Williams…

Their friends and family were gathered in the backyard of the house at 2727 Piikoi Street. The entire Williams clan had arrived from New Jersey five days earlier. "We don't want to be jetlagged for the wedding, darlings," Clara had explained when informing them of the family's early arrival. Mary Ann, who never considered things such as jetlag, had flown in from L.A. with Joan just the day before. Of course, Chin, Abby, and Sara had come from San Francisco for the occasion. They decided to turn the trip into a much-needed vacation and had booked a room at the Hilton Hawaiian. Even Harry Langford had surprised them by appearing at their front door that morning. Kono was the only member of their ever-expanding _ohana_ not in attendance. She'd called and congratulated them both but thought showing up might make things a bit uncomfortable. She explained that the last thing she wanted was to take any joy away from Steve and Danny's big day. They still weren't sure what had happened between her and Adam, whether it was her job, the strain of a long-distance relationship, or if it was something else. They weren't even sure Adam knew. They assured her that she was missed and was welcome anytime, but that they understood her decision not to attend the wedding.

They planned a simple backyard ceremony. While opting against a completely traditional Hawaiian wedding, they did plan to include several traditional elements, but Danny refused to have the ceremony on the beach because he didn't want to be covered in sand all evening. And even though the guest list included only close friends and family, that still meant over 30 people. They rented a tent with a dancefloor for the reception, but that didn't leave much space on the lawn to place chairs for the actual ceremony, so they opted to have everyone stand instead. Grace said that would make it feel as if everyone was in the wedding party.

Flippa was in charge of the music and Kamekona, of course, was handling the catering. "Twenty percent off for _ohana_," he graciously told them. Danny argued it should be forty percent since he and Steve were both _ohana_, but apparently, Kamekona's entrepreneurial spirit outweighed his feelings for the couple. At least Jerry wasn't charging them to officiate the wedding. He'd asked if he could and he seemed so excited at the prospect that they couldn't tell him no. Danny did make him promise to simply conduct the ceremony and not give any speeches concerning some obscure legend or conspiracy theory involving weddings or marriage. Jerry seemed a little disappointed but agreed to the terms.

As the time for the ceremony approached, Danny paced back and forth across the bedroom floor, pausing occasionally to look in the mirror to smooth back his perfectly coiffed hair or adjust his already straight tie. When Steve stepped out of the bathroom wearing his Ceremonial Dress Blue Navy uniform, Danny's breath hitched. "My God, you should wear that more often. On second thought, don't. My heart can't take it."

"Like a man in uniform, do you?" Steve said quipped, but the heat in his eyes was unmistakable when he looked at Danny in his navy-blue suit and light blue tie. Steve had picked had out the tie himself because he said it matched Danny's eyes.

"I like you in your dress blues … even if the uniform is black, not blue as the name would suggest. I always have, even before it ever occurred to me that I might want us to be anything more friends. I mean, how could I not be impressed when you look like you stepped right off a Navy recruitment poster?" Danny asked as he walked over and started fussing with Steve's tie.

Steve raised his chin to give Danny easier access. "I wasn't sure about wearing it. I thought it might bring back bad memories for you. The first time you saw me wear it was at Meka's wake and then at Grace's custody hearing."

"Yeah, I remember. I also remember that you attended both of those events just to support me. At least the custody hearing had a happy ending." He gave the tie one more tug before running his hand down the length of it to smooth out any wrinkles.

"You kept adjusting my tie then too," Steve reminded him.

"I was nervous and scared to death the judge would let Rachel take Grace to Las Vegas." Danny reminded him.

"Are you nervous and scared now too?" Danny detected the hint of concern in Steve's voice. Surely Steve wasn't afraid he was having second thoughts about the wedding. Danny was the one who proposed after all.

"No, just anxious to get on with the actual ceremony."

"Because you think something will go wrong if we don't get it over with?"

"Doesn't it always?" Danny asked. "I'm just ready to make this relationship official. To be married to you. But the only thing I'm worried about is that if we don't get married soon something is bound to happen that will delay the ceremony and/or put our lives in danger. Did we or did we not have to dispose of a nuclear warhead just minutes before Kono and Adam's wedding?"

Humor warred with the concern on Steve's face. "So, you're just worried about the wedding itself and you weren't pacing the floor thinking about how long it will be before our marriage inevitably crashes and burns?"

"With the way you drive a car and your history of getting shot when piloting a plane, I'm much more worried about literally crashing and burning."

"You really weren't thinking about all the ways our marriage could end badly?" Steve pressed. He obviously needed reassurance that Danny had not let his pessimistic nature take over.

"Nope. I've told you before that it's different with you. I'm different with you. This right here, me and you..." He waved a hand between the two of them. "It's until death do us part, babe. Just promise me that we will both be old and decrepit before that happens." Danny had never quite been able to figure out why things were different with Steve. He was still just as anxious as he ever was in just about every other aspect of his life, but when it came to his relationship with Steve, he felt totally secure. It was the first real peace he had ever known in a relationship.

"That's the plan," Steve assured him. "I've waited a long time to get married and I have every intention growing old with you." An enormous smile appeared on Steve's face and Danny knew he was picturing a future that was either unbelievably sweet or totally outrageous.

"I'm almost scared to ask what that grin is about."

"I was just thinking about the two of us in a few years. One day we'll be grandparents and we'll teach Grace and Charlie's kids everything we know. I can teach them to surf, and shoot, and skydive. The three esses. It's going to be awesome."

"Okay, tell me you're kidding, or I may have to call this wedding off after all. You are not going to teach our grandchildren to shoot or to skydive, and I'm not even sold on the surfing."

"See the thing is, Danny, you'll be their grandfather, not their father, so it will be up to Grace or Charlie to decide, not you. Yep, surfing, shooting, and skydiving. I'll be the coolest grandpa ever," Steve crowed before giving Danny a sympathetic look. "Hey, you don't have to worry that they'll like me better. I mean, you can teach them things too, like how to cook or how to wave their arms when they talk without knocking things over. You're really good at both of those."

Just before he was about to fly off into a classic rant – he'd show Steve some arm waving – Danny noticed the twinkle in his soon-to-be-husband's eyes. "Seriously? Are you seriously trying to get me riled up 10 minutes before our wedding?"

"Took your mind off of the all things that could go wrong with the wedding didn't it?" Steve gloated.

"Yeah, it took my mind off the wedding and on to all the ways you plan to endanger the lives of our future grandchildren." Danny shook his head. He wouldn't give Steve the satisfaction of admitting that his gambit had worked. He loved the big goof, but Steve enjoyed annoying Danny too much for him to ever admit that such diversionary tactics actually worked.

"Well, that's a worry for another day or another year, actually," Steve told him. "Right now, it's time for us to get married and no catastrophe or national emergency has interfered, so what do you say we get this show on the road?"

"Get this show … how romantic," Danny joked as he reached up and pulled Steve into a kiss, but they were soon interrupted by a knock on the bedroom door. Before they could answer, the door swung open to reveal Grace and Charlie dressed for the wedding. Grace looked beautiful, and way too grown-up, in a sundress the same light blue shade as Danny's tie. Charlie, who wanted to match both Danny and Steve, wore a pair of black linen shorts, paired with a white dress shirt and a light blue bowtie.

"Dad, Uncle Steve, you both look really handsome," Grace told them.

"Thanks, monkey. You look beautiful and Charlie, buddy, you're looking pretty snazzy yourself."

"Thanks, Danno," the two said in unison.

"Gracie, your dad is right, you are absolutely beautiful," Steve told the teenager, making her blush slightly. "And Charlie, you are totally rockin' that bowtie," he said, making them laugh.

"I like all your medals, Uncle Steve," Charlie declared. "What do they all mean?"

"Well, buddy, I promise to tell you about every single one of them later, but right now I think we have a wedding to go to. What do you say?"

"Yay."

"That's why we came up, actually," Grace said. "Grandma Clara, said to tell you that everyone is here, and you have five minutes to finish primping before she comes and gets you herself."

"Hey," Danny protested. "I'll have you know that I've been ready for twenty minutes, it was John Paul Jones over here who was primping. It takes a long time to polish all those medals."

"Yeah well, it looked less like primping and polishing and more like hugging and kissing when we came in," Gracie told them making Charlie giggle. "Save it for the honeymoon. It's time for the ceremony. I've waited years for this moment, and I refuse to allow the two of you to be late to your own wedding. Now hurry up, let's go." With that she turned and left the room, confident, Danny was sure, that the rest of them would follow right behind her. She wasn't wrong.

"Come on, SuperSEAL, let's go get married."

H50*H50*H50*H50*H50*H50

"In Hawaii we exchange leis as a symbol of our love," Jerry explained as he stood in front of Danny and Steve, who were flanked by Grace and Charlie and surrounded by friends and family. The lei ceremony was one of the Hawaiian customs Danny had actually grown to appreciate. "The beautifully crafted lei with its handpicked flowers and twine, carefully bonded together with love, is a reflection of your love and aloha for one another. As you exchange these leis, you will begin to weave your own lei of life. And now, with loving aloha, please present your leis to one another."

Danny turned towards Joan who had squealed with delight when they asked her to be their flower girl. With a slight nudge from Mary, the little girl ran over so Danny could take one of the leis she was holding. As Steve leaned down so Danny could place it over his head, Danny kissed his cheek. The ritual was repeated with Steve placing a lei over Danny's head. Although, Steve's kiss came a bit closer to Danny's lips then was probably customary. Once the leis and kisses had been exchanged, they stood there smiling stupidly at each other until Jerry's voice broke through.

"Steve and Danny would like to take this moment to recognize the significant role that Grace and Charlie will play in their marriage by presenting them each with the symbolic gift of love, a lei." Right on cue, Joanie handed each of them a second lei. Danny placed his over Grace's head and kissed her cheek as Steve did the same for Charlie. "From this day forth, you will be more than two individuals, more than a couple – you will be a loving and united family. A family drawn together by love and held together by devotion."

In that moment, Danny fully realized how lucky he was to be marrying someone whom his children loved wholeheartedly and who loved them just as much in return. They were already a family, but somehow declaring that fact in front of witnesses affected Danny more than he would have thought.

"Danny, Steve, please face other and join hands." At Jerry's prompting they turned and took each other's hands. In that moment, everything and everybody faded away and all Danny could see was the love in Steve's eyes. Then from a distance, he heard Jerry's voice.

"Do you Steve, take Danny to be your husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, in good times and bad, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, through quiet moments and long-winded rants, to love, honor, and cherish for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Steve said in a voice filled with love and conviction. Danny squeezed his hands in acknowledgment of his partner's vow.

"Do you Danny, take Steve to be your husband, to have and to hold from this day forward, in good times and bad, for richer or poorer, in sickness and in health, through recklessness or restraint, to love, honor, and cherish for as long as you both shall live?"

"I do," Danny made the vow with the same love and certainty as Steve and received a similar squeeze to his hands in recognition of his pledge.

Jerry looked out towards the family and friends gathered to celebrate the occasion. "And now for the exchanging of rings." At this, Charlie reached into his pocket and pulled out two rings and handed them to Jerry, just as he had been told to do. Danny was proud that Charlie hadn't needed any further prompting. At that age he would have been so nervous that he probably would have dropped them in the grass.

Jerry held up both wedding bands. "Your rings by their very shape are symbols of eternal unity without beginning or end. They are the emblem of the love that exists between you and characterize your devotion to one another. Let them always remind you of the commitments you make today."

Jerry handed Steve one of the bands. "Steve, place the ring on Danny's finger and repeat after me … With this ring I marry you and join my life with yours. Accept this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness for all the years to come."

As Steve repeated the words and slid the ring on Danny's ring, the weight of it felt exactly right and he knew that without it he would never feel completely dressed again.

As Danny took the second ring from Jerry, he slid it on Steve's finger and repeated the same words Steve had just said to him. "With this ring I marry you and join my life with yours. Accept this ring as a symbol of my love and faithfulness for all the years to come."

Jerry gestured towards a small table that had been set up a few feet away. On the table sat two bottles, each filled with a different colored sand. Between them sat a third empty container.

"Steve and Danny, today you join your lives together. The two separate bottles of sand symbolize your separate lives before you found each other. They represent all that you are and all that will ever be as individuals. They also represent your lives before today. As these two containers of sand are poured into the third container, the individual containers of sand will no longer exist, but will be joined together as one. Just as these grains of sand can never be separated and poured again into their individual containers, so will your marriage be."

Steve and Danny each picked a bottle of sand and together they slowly poured the contents into the third container. Danny watched as the two different sands combined until they were blended together, impossible to separate. Perhaps he was being way too sentimental, but it really was a perfect metaphor for him and Steve. While he was contemplating the symbolism of the sand ceremony, Danny heard the first strum of a ukulele and then Flippa began to sing.

_This is the moment  
I've waited for  
I can hear my heart singing  
Soon bells will be ringing_

_This is the moment  
Of sweet Aloha  
I will love you longer than forever  
Promise me that you will leave me never_

_Here and now dear  
All my love  
I vow dear  
Promise me that you will leave me never  
I will love you longer than forever_

_you-a, si-la  
Pa-a ia me o-e  
Ko a-lo-ha ma-ka-mea e i-po  
Ka-'you ia e le-i a-e ne-i la_

_Now that we are one  
Clouds won't hide the sun  
Blue skies of Hawaii smile  
On this, our wedding day  
I do love you with all my heart._

_The Hawaiian Wedding Song_ may be cliché, but it was also fitting. Once the song was over, Jerry offered the couple a blessing. "May there always be laughter in your home, passion in your life, and Aloha in your hearts. I now pronounce you married. _Honi ka wa'ha_."

Steve and Danny smiled, and immediately did as Jerry instructed … they kissed each other on the mouth. Eventually, the cheers and applause had them pulling back. Steve looked down at him a grinned. "We're married."

"I am aware," Danny told him. "How do you feel about that?"

"I feel like I'm ready for the honeymoon."

Danny laughed. "Soon, Steven, soon."

"Promises, promises, but hey, what about you? How does being married feel this time around?"

"Right. It feels right."

H50*H50*H50*H50*H50*H50

Everybody was dancing and laughing and having a wonderful time. It was an amazing thing to be surrounded by the people you loved and who loved you, those who only wanted the best for you, and who were genuinely delighted by your happiness. When he and Rachel divorced and she'd married Stan and moved to Hawaii with Grace, Danny believed he'd never have that again. When he'd followed his little girl to Hawaii, he was miserable, almost at his breaking point. Then one day he walked into a crime scene and his life changed forever. It had been a hell of a ride since then … hating Steve, tolerating Steve, trusting Steve, ranting at Steve, respecting Steve, being constantly annoyed by Steve, liking Steve, rescuing Steve, laughing with Steve, being recused by Steve, crying with Steve, wanting to kill Steve, sharing with Steve, saving Steve, loving Steve, being loved by Steve, talking with Steve, living with Steve, marrying Steve. Always Steve. The years since they met had been exhausting and exhilarating, they'd also been the best years of his life … so far.

When he moved to Hawaii, Danny was unable to picture the future clearly, all he could see were endless days of loneliness broken only by the few hours a month he was allowed to see Grace. Things were so different now. He knew there would be bad times ahead, that was simply part of life, but despite those inevitable rough patches, the future Danny saw now was anything but lonely or bleak. He had a husband who was his partner and best friend, a job where he actually made a difference, friends he could trust to always be there when he needed them, and most importantly a family. He looked around at all the people who had come to celebrate with him and Steve, not just his parents and his sisters, but friends, so many friends, their _ohana_. All because of the crazy man dancing in his arms. When he looked up into Steve's eyes, they were so filled with love that Danny almost stumbled.

"What were you thinking about just now?" Steve asked.

"You, us, how meeting you changed everything." Danny put a little distance between them so they could talk better, but they continued to dance. "There have been plenty of times when I've wanted to wring your neck, and I'm sure that will never change, but I wouldn't trade what we have for anything in the world. I love you. Thanks for taking a chance a on us."

"Danny, you'll never know how much you mean to me because I couldn't possibly come up with the right words to tell you. But what we have, the family we've created over the years, it's something I never even thought about before I met you because I didn't think it was possible. I didn't bother trying to find someone to share my life with … my job was my life. The Navy was my family. But after meeting you, I realized that I wanted so much more. You ranted and raved yourself right under my skin and I knew, almost from the start, that you were going to be the best partner, the best friend, I'd ever had, but over the years, you've become so much more. Every time I wake up next to you, every time Grace gives me a hug or Charlie asks me to tell him a bedtime story, I'm amazed at all I have now. I couldn't ask for more. Thank you for being the one person I can always count on to be there for me, even when I come to you with something as ridiculous as the idea that two supposedly straight best friends could fall in love and spend their lives together. I love you."

"We should have written our own vows. You've gotten pretty good at this emotional stuff." It was either make a joke or let all their friends see him cry.

"No, the ceremony was perfect the way it was, some things should stay just between us," Steve said and Danny knew he was right. Jerry did an amazing job officiating the ceremony and the vows they'd spoken and rituals they'd included were heartfelt and perfect. Like Steve said though, some words were simply more special when said privately.

Just when Danny was about to close the short distance between them, they were interrupted by Grace and Charlie.

"Dad, Uncle Steve, Charlie and I want to dance with you both. We thought I could dance with you Dad and Charlie could dance with you Uncle Steve, and then we could switch. That way I get two father-daughter dances and Charlie gets two father-son dances. I know that's not normally a thing, but there is nothing about your entire relationship, so why not?"

"Why not indeed," Steve said. He grabbed Charlie by the hand. "Come buddy, let's show them how it's done." Danny watched the two most important "men" in his life danced across the floor, with Charlie giggling the whole time.

He turned to Grace and bowed, "My lady, may I have this dance."

With a mock curtsy, she stepped into his arms. "Why of course, kind sir. I'd be delighted."

Danny smiled and began to dance. It was the perfect way to end what had been the most special day of his life. He was married to his best friend and his children were just as happy about it as he was. He didn't know how they'd gotten here, but he vowed to himself that he was never going to take this miraculous gift for granted.

**_Fin._**

Thanks for coming to the wedding … don't forget to sign the guest book before you leave. XOXOXO


End file.
